May 13, 2008: William and Mary got Mike Tomlin started

As a proud alumnus, Mike Tomlin was understandably disappointed that William and Mary didn't secure a better commencement speaker. Honored, but disappointed."Like always, we'll make the best of the situation," Tomlin said Sunday morning, shortly before he addressed the Class of 2008. "Hopefully, this guy stands up to his end of the bargain."Tomlin, W&M Class of 1995 and head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers (still stunning that those two facts appear in the same sentence), recalled his own graduation 13 years earlier. Sort of.The commencement speaker that day: former president George H.W. Bush. Tomlin's recollection of Bush's remarks?"Nothing," he said with a chuckle. "And really, that's a comforting thought for me today as I prepare to deliver my address. Because chances are the vast majority of those students sitting out there won't remember a thing that I say, either."Tomlin's commencement address at William and Mary was his second of the weekend. He spoke Saturday afternoon at St. Vincent College in Latrobe, Pa., site of the Steelers' summer training camp.When Tomlin was introduced there, nearly all of the 300 graduates cheered and waved Steelers Terrible Towels."It was a Steeler Nation message," he said. "When you're in western Pa., that's how you deliver it."The message he delivered at St. Vincent, he said, was similar to what he intended to tell the 1,700-member graduating class at William and Mary."You don't know what life has in store for you," he said, "and you have to attack it. You've got to remain unwavering, and success is not always measured in the outcome, or the scoreboard, if you will."For Tomlin, Sunday was a day for reflection and reminiscence, about lessons learned and applied. It was a respite from the 12-month grind of the NFL ...So what the heck was he thinking going for a two-point conversion from the 12-yard line in the playoff game versus Jacksonville?"You know me," he said. "I throw caution to the wind. I play to win. I haven't gotten where I am today by playing it conservative, and I'm not going to change."The Steelers failed to convert that two-point attempt, as well as a second one later after the go-ahead touchdown. An epic comeback became a footnote in a 31-29 loss."If we had made it," Tomlin said, "you would have said, 'What a great coaching decision,' wouldn't you?"Probably not. That topic, however, prompted a riff on the magnifying glass under which he resides."We're going to be judged," he said. "I'm paid to be judged. I don't care about the elevator music. I hear it, but I don't. My goal is to coach my football team and put us in a position to win."I don't mind it. But when you have a head-coaching job, your family is subject to that scrutiny, that analysis. They have to deal with it the way I do. I'm paid to deal with it. I understand that's the nature of the thing. As a parent, at times it's challenging to explain some of that stuff to a 7- and 6-year-old. That's probably the biggest challenge."So what's more difficult: coaching an NFL team or being a parent?"It's not even close," he said. "A parent is who I am, coaching is what I do."Tomlin, who turned 36 two months ago, never envisioned that just 13 years after he grabbed his own diploma he would be the Steelers' head coach. But chances are that his goals didn't fall too far short of that."I'm a big dreamer, always have been," he said. "And that's what life is about. But more importantly, the message I'm going to tell these young people today is that it's OK to dream, but you have to make the day-to-day choices to make those dreams a reality."I've been blessed to be around people that nourished that and encouraged that, those actions in me. I've been blessed."Tomlin said that he still uses lessons from longtime Tribe coach Jimmye Laycock, as well as professional mentor Tony Dungy. They taught him the value of remaining emotionally level, of not permitting success or failure to determine your mood and your approach."I think you have a chance to have long-term success when people know what they're going to get," Tomlin said. "When you're consistent in how you prepare, when you're consistent in the culture and environment that you put in the building. And really, a big portion of that starts with me and the tone that I set on a day-to-day basis. That's probably why we had some success in year one and hopefully we can continue that."Tomlin said that being an NFL head coach consists of more than most folks can imagine. More exciting, more difficult, more invasive, more intense, more rewarding.And the launching pad was a 315-year-old college nestled in the colonial capital that provided a kid from Newport News with an education and a place to play."This place, although small, it prepares you to deal," Tomlin said. "The level of professionalism within the football program, the things that are required of you outside the football program, interaction with people, all those things prepared me for what I do on a day-to-day basis."I'm extremely comfortable with what it is I have to do for a living, whether it's directly related to my job or the things that go with my job. And the reason that I'm comfortable is because of the experience I gained here as an 18-, 19-, 20-year-old. That's what makes this place special."Dave Fairbank can be reached at 247-4637 or by e-mail at dfairbank@dailypress.com